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TURKEY: FM Cavusoglu To Discuss NATO And F-16s With Sec State Blinken

US

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will shortly hold a meeting at the US State Department with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken amid terse relations over Turkey's stance on Russia and the NATO bids of Sweden and Finland.

  • The meeting is expected to focus on Turkey’s request for the purchase of F-16 fighter planes which is currently stalled due to objections from the US Congress.
  • Analysts don’t expect movement significant movement on the Nordic NATO bids until after the Turkish general election in May.
  • The US and Turkey relationship is experiencing strain due to Ankara's willingness to strike a foreign policy path which has put it increasingly at odds with Washington.
  • Blinken will likely push Turkey on its more problematic policy positions, including bellicose rhetoric directed at NATO-ally Greece, a stated willingness to launch a military operation against US-backed Kurdish groups in Syria, and a deepening “sanction busting” economic relationship with Russia.
  • In June, President Biden rejected the prospect of F-16s being sold to Turkey as part of a quid pro quo to unlock the Nordic NATO bids.

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